


My Bending Thoughts

by KorrasBootlicker



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Bending (Avatar), my thoughts, thoughts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:20:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27942896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KorrasBootlicker/pseuds/KorrasBootlicker
Summary: This isn't a story or anything like that. It's just me and my thoughts on how people could bend according to the rules set in place in ATLA and LOK.I'll try to organize each chapter to make it as concise as possible, but don't expect anything perfect because this is basically just me spewing random thoughts and then immediately publishing it.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what your thoughts are about this stuff, I'm curious to see what other people think!

So we all know about bloodbending. Manipulating the blood inside someone's body to control them. Bloodbending is specifically a waterbending move, arguably making them more powerful than other benders.

Now, I thought to myself, how else could you control someone's body? I mean, there is air in peoples' lungs and oxygen in their cells, so airbenders can control them that way. For earthbenders, there are metals within peoples' bodies, so you could probably tap into that and control them. For firebenders, there is energy in every cell of a person's body, so you could tap into that energy and control their muscles. Let me explain.

It should be noted that I am going to make some small assumptions about certain ideas and theories in order to get my point across. Not all of this is 100% canon, but it is all logical to me.

**Airbending**

We see people manipulate the air in peoples' lungs multiple times throughout _Legend Of Korra_. That's how Zaheer killed Hou Ting, the Earth Queen. It's also how he almost killed Korra during the final battle in Book Three.

Please note that I am going to take some liberties in this explanation and assume that airbenders connect specifically to the oxygen found in the air. You may be thinking, "isn't there oxygen in water? Why can't they also bend water if they connect to the oxygen?" To that I say, airbenders cannot do this because the oxygen in water is bonded to hydrogen to form H2O, making water a compound. However, air is a mixture of different elements such as oxygen and nitrogen, and since the oxygen is alone, it can be manipulated by airbenders.

The heart pumps blood throughout the body. This blood carries oxygen from the lungs to cells so they can function properly. Since oxygen is distributed throughout the entire body, that means airbenders can connect to it and move it in order to control a person against their will.

Considering the amount of oxygen in the body and how much it is moving throughout the body, it would probably be very difficult to connect to it and control a person. Thusly, it would probably only be possible for an extremely powerful airbender such as Jinora or Zaheer. However, since almost all airbenders also try not to harm people without just cause, they would be very unlikely to bend the air in someone's body. Zaheer would most likely be the only airbender to use this ability, because he does not follow the same ethics codes as the other airbenders.

It should be noted that if someone were to bend like this, there's a decent chance that their victim would die of suffocation if they are being manipulated for long enough.

**Earthbending**

In _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ , Toph Beifong invented metalbending when she tried to escape from a metal cell. Metalbending is a subcategory of earthbending that specializes in the manipulation of impurities found in metals. Every metal besides platinum can be bent. Platinum is an exception because it is considered too pure to be manipulated. I looked it up, it is about 95% pure, so it's theoretically possible, but I digress.

Just like oxygen, there are various metals found within the body. Most notably for this specific topic, iron. Iron is supplied to the body through the heart, and is carried by the blood. Because of this, iron is found throughout the entire body. With this in mind, a metalbender could theoretically bend the iron found within someone's body and manipulate the person against their will.

Metalbending itself is not possible for everyone, with a prime example being Bolin's terrible attempts at it. That is to say, metalbending is already difficult. This, combined with the minuscule amounts of iron inside someone's body and how it is constantly moving, would arguably make this specific type of bodily control the most difficult method. Regardless, I'm sure if someone worked hard enough at it they would be able to accomplish it somehow.

**Firebending**

Firebenders draw their ability from the sun. The sun produces energy. Simple. Certain firebenders can concentrate this energy and bend lightning. According to Uncle Iroh in _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ , this is only possible when the bender is emotionally stable.

The body needs energy to survive and function. Without this energy, you literally cannot do anything. Cells need energy to carry out tasks. The brain needs energy to send signals. The entire body needs energy.

I am going to take the liberty of saying that only those who can generate lightning are able to manipulate the energy in someone's body. It just makes more sense for someone who can bend electricity to be able to manipulate the energy in a person's body, rather than someone who can only bend fire. The simplicity of controlling someone as a firebender would probably only be counteracted by the sheer difficulty of lightning generation, because I want it to be reasonably difficult to control another living being.

If someone can control the energy inside a body, they can control the body itself. They can control the signals sent from the brain, they can control the usage of muscles, everything. I would personally argue that this is the most powerful form of bodily manipulation, because the bender controls _every_ aspect of the person. Even more, the entire body has energy in it, so it would probably be easier than trying to control someone with earthbending or airbending.

**What Have We Learned?**

There is a possibility that every element can control a person against their will, all in different ways. Airbenders use the oxygen in a body, earthbenders use the iron, and firebenders use the energy.

I personally thought it was unfair for waterbenders to be able to control people, and everyone else just has to deal with the disadvantage.


	2. Helpful Bloodbending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bloodbending doesn't always have to be bad

This one is simple. Bloodbending could be used to help people. Bloodbending is the act of manipulating the blood inside someone's body to control them against their will. Emphasis on the against their will part. Why emphasize that, you ask? Well, that's what this chapter is about. My theory is that, if someone were to allow themselves to be subjugated to bloodbending, they could use it to help themselves.

In _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ , Katara must fight Hama during a full moon using bloodbending. Katara wins, obviously, and she is so absolutely horrified with herself for having to manipulate a person's body the way she did, she swears never to use bloodbending. Eventually, it is revealed in _Legend of Korra_ that Katara outlawed bloodbending altogether. Personally, I can see why she would want to get rid of bloodbending, but I also feel that she acted too quickly on this decision. 

The main reason bloodbending is so painful is because it is against someone's will. Every single time we see bloodbending in both shows, it is against their will and they are fighting to stop it. However, if someone were to submit to the bloodbending, I'd argue it would be much less painful. I'd even go so far as to say it wouldn't be painful at all, assuming the bender is skilled enough.

But, why submit? Why would someone _want_ to be bloodbent? That is a wonderful question. I have two main answers for you. Healing, and concentrating blood in certain parts of the body.

**Healing**

This is straightforward. People get injured. It happens all the time, it's inevitable. Some injuries damage the skin, such as a cut, which causes people to bleed. With these injuries, blood flows to the injury and clots to stop people from just bleeding out. Bloodbenders move blood (duh), hence the title. I would argue that bloodbenders could use their abilities to speed up this clotting process and minimize blood loss.

Obviously, it would just be redundant with some injuries like a small paper cut, but it could be very useful with larger gashes where there is a lot of area that must be clotted and covered to stop bleeding.

**Concentration**

This has to do with blood flow and controlling where the blood goes in the body. Bodies need blood flow, and sometimes certain body parts need more blood than others. With bloodbending, it would be easier to concentrate blood in a certain area of the body. This has a few practical uses.

Some headaches are caused when too much pressure builds up within the brain. Bloodbending could be used to remove some of the blood in the head, reduce swelling, and ease the headache.

People feel lightheaded when there is not enough blood flow to the brain. Bloodbending could push blood back up to the brain, and ease the lightheadedness sooner, rather than just waiting for it to subside on it's own.

When people become aroused, blood travels to their crotch to prepare for intercourse. Bloodbending could do a couple different things here. On one hand, bloodbenders could use their ability like Viagara to concentrate blood in their crotch to induce an erection, if that makes sense. On the other hand, they could bend the blood away from their crotch to have their arousal be less obvious.

**Stigma**

I feel like a large part of the problem with submitting to bloodbending is the stigma surrounding it. When bloodbending was introduced, it was introduced as a bad thing. Because of this, people are going to be more likely to associate it with harm, and they won't want to put themselves through something that might harm them.

I don't know if the negative connotation of bloodbending would allow it to be seen as something that can help people. Regardless, I think it still has a lot of potential as a subcategory of waterbending.


End file.
